DID you spot the April Fool’s Day joke in The Northern Echo yesterday?

The picture story on page three of the paper – telling of plans to paint the steam locomotive the Flying Scotsman a fetching shade of tartan – was a wind-up.

We told you that bosses at the National Railway Museum (NRM), in York, were planning to undertake the 12-week painting project.

However, the story was a stunt by NRM staff to publicise restoration work on the locomotive.

The Steam Our Scotsman Appeal aims to raise £250,000 to get the Flying Scotsman back into steam.

To donate, call 01904-685707 or visit flyingscotsman.org.uk